5 TIPS FOR A SUSTAINABLE REMODEL - SOME MIGHT EVEN BRING CHARACTER TO YOUR HOME
THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE DEMO
The temptation to demo an outdated home and start with a clean slate can be overwhelming. If you’re like me, you spend hours pouring over glorious interior design eye candy in magazines, the internet and social media. When the opportunity presents itself to implement some of the ideas you’ve been drooling over, it’s hard to show restraint.
According to CalRecycle, construction and demolition materials account for between 21.7 and 25.5% of disposal waste. And, since remodeling a home produces 60 lbs of waste per square foot on average, and most of that waste lands in a landfill, we should think twice before renting a dumpster and ripping everything out. Here are some tips for taking a sustainable approach to your remodel.
WORK WITH THE ERA AND THE BONES OF YOUR HOME
Instead of designing to fit current design tastes, which change faster than you can say “all white kitchen,” look to the era of your home and see what bones are in place that might be worth keeping. One thing that brings dimension to designs is using a mix of old and new. If you have an antique stove or cast iron tub it might be worth keeping. And juxtaposing those items with newer features is a guaranteed formula for cool.
If you research the architecture from the era of your house you may just fall in love with the aesthetic and decide you want to keep most of what you have but just make a few upgrades. If you stick with the time period of your home, you really can’t go wrong as long as everything is well maintained and clean.
KITCHEN REMODEL WOES
Kitchens can sell a home or sink a home and they are oh so expensive to remodel.
If you’ve ever priced out a kitchen remodel, you know that kitchen cabinets are pricey. But, they don’t always need to be replaced just because they are a little dated. Many homes have nice solid cabinets. You may hate the old doors, or the cabinet color, but you can completely change the look of cabinets (and the entire kitchen for that matter) by painting the cabinets or replacing the cabinet doors. Add some updated, or even vintage, cabinet pulls and you’ve got yourself a new kitchen.
Countertops are expensive as well. If you must change out your countertops, consider using Dekton – a material made by Consentino that looks more like honed marble than quartz and is sustainably manufactured. The look is classic and timeless, so once it’s installed it is never likely to go out of style.
SALVAGE, REUSE, RECYCLE
Have you heard the term, everything old is new again? Now that I am, ahem, of a certain vintage, I can appreciate how our aesthetics change, but they go in a cycle. Vinyl records are cool again, low rise jeans are back (for now) and, hello, Barbie! My 13 year old is listening to the same bands I loved in college.
The point is, those perfectly good countertops that aren’t the color or material du jour, may be back in style any day. If you type into Pinterest or Google the feature you're planning to rip out, you might see examples of how it can work or be updated. For example, try “brown granite countertops.” It’s remarkable how good and current they can look with dark green cabinets.
If you’ve ever shopped on 1st dibs, you know that there is a market for good quality designs of yesteryear. You may have beautiful old light fixtures, wood trim, doors, windows, hardware and more that people are looking for!
Don’t put it in the dumpster until you know there’s nobody out there pining for it. And, give yourself the time to see if it comes back or if you just start to love it. Love the one your with.
DONATE MATERIALS
There are also ways to donate what you ultimately decide to jettison. Habitat for Humanity accepts donations. And, metal and scrap have value. We have our local scrap metal collector on speed dial. He’s made a living picking up pieces and reselling and recycling what people would otherwise put into a landfill. And, in California, you can visit CalRecycle to see how to go about finding a home for your castoffs.
STAY TIMELESS AND CLASSIC IN YOUR INTERIOR DESIGN CHOICES
If you stay away from what’s trendy, no matter how seductive it can be, and stick to what is classic, using good resilient materials, you might add more appeal to your home. And, even better, future owners may be less inclined to rip out what you’ve done and your efforts may be enjoyed for generations to come.
For inspiration on what’s timeless, look up old European homes. The best byproduct of implementing these sustainable tips is you will end up with a home that looks bespoke. It won’t be like every other remodel in your neighborhood. It is likely to have character and charm. And that, my friend, adds value.
